Automatic girth adjustable shoes

ABSTRACT

Shoe constructions which automatically adjust the effective girth of a shoe to enable the shoe to change in girth throughout a day in accordance with changes in a wearer&#39;s foot, including along the upper and lower side edges of the ball, waist, and instep of the wearer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention comprises a shoe construction providing improved meansfor the automatic adjustment of the effective girthwise dimensions of ashoe to properly fit a foot therein, including along the upper and lowersides of the midportional ball, waist and instep of a wearer's footthroughout the day.

It is well-known that to fit properly, a shoe need to not only be ofsuitable length but also of the particular effective girthwise dimensionessential to providing a comfortably close girthwise fit to the foot ofthe wearer. To date, the best approaches to achieving such proper fithave been by having one's shoes made to order by custom shoemakers, orusually somewhat less expensively by factory-made shoes, particularlythose available in a relatively wide range of successive widths, (i.e.girths) for each length size.

Neither of these approaches has provided full and accurate girthadjustment throughout the shoe and particularly in the fit-criticallower midportional sides thereof for the normal temporary diurnalincreases in foot girth due to increases in body fluids in theextremities typically amounting to one or more girth increments over thecourse of each day. Girth increments range from about 3/16″ to ¼″depending on the size range of the shoe and the preference of the shoemanufacturer.

In the latter 20th century, girthwise fitting problems increasedappreciably with the now general practice of offering most so-calledvolume popularly priced footwear in only a single relatively mediumwidth (i.e. girth) for each length size, mainly to minimize retail storeinventories for the seemingly ever-increasing range of shoe styles beingoffered by the suppliers. While negatively affecting the fit of moststyles including those of the popular laced shoe constructions, thesefactors have had particularly adverse effects on conventional casualshoes such as loafers and similar slip-on categories lackingconventional manual girth adjustment means. The typical medium width(girth) limitation of such shoes results in their providing proper fitto few if any wearers throughout a typical day.

The present invention overcomes these problems, providing shoes thatwill fit each foot properly throughout the day. Moreover, the presentconstruction keeps the foot transversely centered in the shoe at allgirth adjustments, a factor that should be most welcome in athletic andother active wearing use applications.

Additionally, while the disclosure below refers to a handsewn loafershoe design, this invention is readily applicable to other shoe designsand categories including those with manually adjustable shoe laces,straps, buckles and similar means affording additional girth orgirthwise tensional adjustment in combination with the girth adjustmentsystem of this invention.

As for relevant prior art, none has been able to satisfy the foregoingcriteria sufficiently to merit its volume production to date. Such priorart includes the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,691,271; 3,404,468;3,442,031; 3,541,078; 3,618,235; 3,686,777; 4,279,083; 4,858,341;4,967,492; 4,969,277; 5,060,402; 5,123,181; 5,153,257; 5,203,096,5,241,762; 5,325,514; 5,384,970; 6,725,575 and 6,883,254.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention comprises shoe constructions which provide improved meansfor automatically adjusting the effective girth of a shoe by an elasticmeans which extends longitudinally along at least a portion of the shoeso that the shoe provides a comfortably contacting fit of the shoe to awearer's foot therein while keeping the foot substantially transverselycentered in the shoe at all girth adjustments thereof. The shoeconstructions include a foot support surface having a width equal to orless than the narrowest foot for which the shoe is intended.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevational cross-sectional drawing of a first shoe 20taken along its longitudinal centerline and embodying principles of thepresent invention.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show plan views of elements of the shoe 20 of FIG. 1 takenalong the lines 2-2 and 3-3 thereof with FIG. 2 showing these elementsas they would appear with the shoe 20 girth adjusted to fit a foot oflesser girth while FIG. 3 shows these elements adjusted to fit a foot ofgreater girth.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational cross-sectional drawing of a second shoe120 taken along its longitudinal centerline and embodying principles ofthe present invention.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show plan views of the shoe 120 of FIG. 4 taken along thelines 5-5 and 6-6 thereof, with FIG. 5 showing these elements as theywould appear with the shoe 120 adjusted to fit a foot of lesser girth,while FIG. 6 shows the same elements when adjusted to fit a foot ofgreater girth.

FIG. 7 is side elevational cross-sectional drawing of a third shoe 220taken along its longitudinal centerline and embodying principles of thepresent invention.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show plan views of the shoe 220 of FIG. 7 taken along thelines 8-8 and 9-9 thereof, with FIG. 8 showing these elements as theywould appear with one version of the shoe 220 adjusted to a lesser girthwhile FIG. 9 shows these same elements adjusted for the same version ofthe shoe 220 to a greater girth.

DEFINITIONS

The following definitions will be used in reference to terms and phrasesin this disclosure:

“Ball to instep girth ratio”—The ratio of the girth of a foot at itsball relative to that at its instep.

“Bottom element”—Shoe element predominantly under a foot therein.

“Centerline”—The longitudinally central line of a shoe and bottomelements thereof.

“Direct sole molding”—Shoe manufacturing process in which the soleelement of a shoe is both molded and attached to a shoe upper assemblyin the same molding operations.

“Effective girth”—The transverse circumferential dimensions of theinnermost elements of a shoe.

“Elastic fabric”—A fabric having an elasticity of about 1 to 10,preferably about 2 to 6, pounds per inch of width, i.e. about thegirthwise elasticity of a typical waistband of mens so-called “Jockey”underwear.

“Elastic goring”—Elastic fabric tape, preferably elasticized by neoprenerubber based components.

“Fit-critical”—Critical to the fit thereof.

“Fixed insole”—Insole bottom element of a shoe fixedly attached toadjacent elements thereof.

“Forepart spacer”—Optional shoe bottom element in the forepart of ashoe, preferably of fiberboard or equivalent material of a thicknessmatching that of the tuck element and midportional transverse goring ofa shoe.

“Interlining”—Lining element located between the upper and liningelements of a shoe.

“Lining”—Inner element of a shoe, located adjacent to a foot therein.

“Loose”—Less than continuous attachment of a shoe element to adjacentelements thereof.

“Lower side portions”—Side portions approximately 1 to 3 cm, above theuppermost foot supporting element of the shoe.

“Midportional”—Longitudinally relatively central location of a foot orshoe, including ball, waist and instep portions thereof.

“Polypropylene”—Typically extruded polypropylene polymer.

“Proper fit”—The accepted comfortably close fit of a shoe to a foottherein.

“Rubberized”—A process by which latex based elements of a shoe becomerubber by the application of vulcanizing heat thereto.

“Shank”—Portion of a foot or a shoe between the instep and heel portionsthereof.

“Shoe”—General term for footwear of various categories.

“Spandex fabric”—Fabric including elastic spandex fibers.

“Tensionally adjustable”—Adjustable by the application of tensionthereto.

“Tuck”—Bottom element of a shoe, typically of fiberboard material,extending between the ball (or waist) and heel thereof.

“Unitsole”—Unitary bottom-most element of a shoe.

“Upper side portions”—Side portions of a foot or shoe located above thelower side portions.

“Vulcanized shoe”—A shoe construction wherein latex based elements andadhesives of a shoe are secured to each other and rubberized by theapplication of (vulcanizing) heat thereto.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1-3 show a first embodiment of the principles of the presentinvention. Shown is a popular so-called hand-sewn loafer design casualshoe 20.

FIG. 1 shows the loafer styled shoe 20 which includes an upper assembly22 having a vamp 24 attached to a plug 26 by a handsewn seam 28, and acounter 30, a cuff 32 and a saddle 34 attached to the vamp 24 byconventional trim-stitching 36 and by a handsewn seam 28, and to thetopline of the vamp 22 by such as conventional topline stitching (notshown). FIG. 1 further shows two midportional flexibly inelastic girthadjustable fabric interlining panels 40 (one on each side of the shoe).The panels 40 are attached to the topline of the vamp 24 by toplinestitching (not shown) and by the hand-sewn seam 28. The panels arelocated between the shoe outer vamp elements and a loose spandex vamplining 48.

FIG. 1 also shows lining and bottom elements of the shoe 20 of FIG. 1including the loose spandex vamp lining 48 which extends as shown acrossa portion of the top surface of a fiberboard tuck 50 and the forepart ofa flexibly inelastic fixed insole 52. The vamp lining 48 is attached tothe peripheries of both the fiberboard tuck 50 and the fixed insole 52by such as adhesive cement means. This allows the lining to be slightlyelastic along the sides of the shoe but substantially inelastic underthe foot. The fiberboard tuck 50 contains a midportional centerlineeyelet 54 which is positioned forward of a preferably neoprene rubberbased elastic fabric centerline goring 56 and over the fixed insole 52which has a conventional shoe bottom assembly 58 thereunder. Preferredshoe bottom assemblies include vulcanized direct molded unitsoles aswell as other soles and bottom assemblies.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show plan views of the bottom elements and adjacent girthadjustment means of the shoe 20 of FIG. 1 when viewed upward from thefixed insole 56. FIG. 2 shows these elements as they would be when theshoe is adjusted to fit a lesser girth foot. FIG. 3 shows the sameelements as in FIG. 2 as they would be when the shoe is adjusted to fita foot of greater girth. Both figures show the elastic fabric goring 56being attached to the heel portion of the tuck 50 by a heeledge-stitching means 62.

In use, a preferably braided Dacron® sportfishing or similar line 66 isattached to a first panel 40, then the line extends through centerlineeyelet 54, then passing through a goring eyelet 64 in the elastic fabricgoring 56, then back through centerline eyelet 54, and then attached tothe second panel 40. Each of the panels 40 preferably has alongitudinal, polypropylene (or other plastic) strut 70 attached as bybutt-stitching 72 to the inelastically flexible fabric panels 40. Thepolypropylene struts 70 both reinforce the fabric panel at the point ofconnection to the line 66 as well as automatically angularly align toadjust for differences in the ball to waist girth ratio of a wearer'sfoot from those of the norm while keeping the foot transversely centeredin the shoe 20 at all girth adjustments. The polypropylene strut isgenerally about 0.2″ to 0.3″ thick, preferably about 0.023″ to 0.028″thick.

At the least girth adjustment of the shoe 20 the goring 56 exerts atleast about 1 pound of tension when no foot is in the shoe (or a foot ofminimum girth). This minimum amount of tension helps the shoe have acomfortable fit on the foot and avoid heel-slip in the stride. Thespecific degree and range of the initial tension will depend on theexpected end use of the shoe 20 and any preference of its supplier.

The tension is exerted on the goring by means of a preferably braidedDacron® sportfishing or similar line 66 which extends forward from aneyelet means 64 in the goring to and through the centerline eyelet 52 inthe tuck 50 and transversely therefrom to a knotted line end attachment68 in the waist portion of each of the two inelastically flexible fabricinterlining panels 40.

FIGS. 4-6 show a second embodiment of a shoe of the present invention.These drawings show a popular so-called hand-sewn saddle loafer designof casual shoe 120 in an elevational cross-section taken along itslongitudinal centerline.

FIG. 4 shows a shoe 120 including an upper assembly 122 having a vamp124 attached to a plug 126 by a handsewn seam 128 and a cuff 130, asaddle 132, and an inside counter (not shown) attached to the vamp 124by a conventional trim-stitching 134 and by a conventional vamp toplinestitching (not shown). FIG. 4 further shows a midportional transverseelastic fabric element 136 and optional preferably extrudedpolypropylene plastic girth adjustment limiting struts 138, bothattached to the vamp 124 by said vamp topline stitching (not shown). Themidportional transverse elastic fabric element 136 is about 1 to 2.5inches wide. The midportional transverse elastic fabric element 136 isshown as a single element from one shoe top line to the other, but itcan be in two or more strips each about 0.5 to 1.25 inches wide whereinthe strips may or may not be physically connected to each other. Theadjustment limiting struts 138 serve to prevent the top line of a sideof the shoe from going below the designed minimum which is required forthe shoe to fit the minimum girth foot for which it has been designed.The limiting struts 138 may be about ½ inch wide.

FIG. 4 also shows a spandex loose fabric lining 140 attached to thetopline of the vamp 124 by the topline stitching (not shown) and in theforepart of the shoe by the handsewn seam 128. The loose fabric lining140 serves to provide a smooth inside foot contacting surface at allgirths. If desired, the loose fabric lining 140 may be cemented to apreferably ⅛″ Poron® cellular polyurethane foam socklining 142 which maybe similarly cemented to a preferably 0.025″ polypropylene insole 144thereunder. The insole 144 may be similarly cemented to a tuck element(rearpart spacer) 146 and optionally a forepart spacer 148, both beingpreferably of fiberboard of similar thickness to the thickness of theelastic fabric 136 therebetween to allow automatic girth adjustment ofthe shoe 120 by the elastic fabric 136 over the designed girthadjustment range of the shoe 120. The tuck element 146 and the optionalforepart spacer 48 may be cemented to a fixed insole 150 thereunder. Thefixed insole 150 is typically a flexibly inelastic fabric attached as bybutt-stitching (not shown) to the lower periphery of the vamp 124 andthen cemented or otherwise attached to the sole element or bottomassembly 152 thereunder.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show plan views of bottom elements and girth adjustingmeans of the shoe 120 of FIG. 4 as viewed upwards from its fixed insole150. FIG. 5 shows these elements as they would appear with the shoe 120adjusted to a lesser girth while FIG. 6 shows the adjustment to agreater girth. Both figures show the tuck 146 and forepart spacer 148and the gore 136 therebetween.

Referring to FIGS. 7-9, they show a third version of a popular so-calledhand-sewn saddle loafer casual shoe style in an elevationalcross-section taken along its longitudinal centerline in a constructionembodying principles of the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows a shoe 220 including an upper assembly 222 having a vamp224 attached to a plug 226 by a handsewn seam 228, and a saddle 230 anda cuff 232, both attached to the vamp 224 and the plug 226 bytrim-stitching 234 and by vamp topline stitching (not shown). FIG. 7further shows a spandex loose lining 236 having its lower portioncemented to the top surface of a loose insole 238. The loose insole 238preferably is of a width equal to that of a shoe last of the least girthof the girth adjustable range for which the shoe 220 is designed. FIG. 7also shows two preferably flexibly inelastic about 0.025″ thick wovenfabric panels 240 attached to the vamp 224 topline by stitching (notshown). The lower portions of the fabric panels 240 extend transverselyunder the loose insole 238 and above a flexible, substantiallyinelastic, woven fabric fixed insole 242. The flexible woven fabricfixed insole 242 is attached, as by butt-stitching, to the lowerperiphery of the vamp 224 over a vulcanized type bottom assembly orunitsole 244. FIG. 7 further shows a centerline eyelet 46 in the waistof loose insole 238 and an eyelet 248 in the centerline instep slot 250,eyeletted to a transverse polypropylene strut 252 (preferably about0.025″ thick) which is butt-stitched to a suitably tensioned elasticcenterline fabric tape 254 (as better seen in FIGS. 8 and 9) between theeyelets 246 and 248.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show plan views of the elements of the shoe 220 of FIG. 7as viewed upwards of its fixed insole 242. FIG. 8 shows these elementsas they would appear with the shoe 220 adjusted to a lesser girth whileFIG. 9 shows their adjustment to a greater girth. FIGS. 8 and 9 alsoshow the preferably 0.025″ thick polypropylene longitudinal ball toinstep struts 256 attached as by butt-stitching to the lower endportions of the fabric panels 240. The struts 256 are attached at theirwaists to a preferably braided Dacron® girth adjusting line 258 whichextends transversely from the struts to the centerline slot 250 in looseinsole 238 and attached thereby to the center of a preferably 0.025″thick polypropylene transverse strut 52 butt-stitched to the centerlineelastic fabric tape 54 which is attached as by heel-stitching 50 to theheel perimeter of insole 238, preferably under a minimum longitudinaltape tension of about 3 lbs. This arrangement allows a wearer's foot tobe held relatively centered transversely within the shoe while allowingthe fit-critical ball to instep girth ratio of the shoe to automaticallyadjust to that of the wearer at all girth adjustments thereof.

It should also be noted that the constructions of this invention areapplicable to shoe designs that in addition to the automaticallygirth-adjusting structures described herein further include aconventional manually girth adjustable means such as laces, straps, andthe like. The manual means can be useful in providing additionalincremental girth-wise or tensional adjustment along with the automaticgirth adjustment elements of the present invention.

Equivalents to the elements specified above for use in the presentinvention include a full length insole in place of or in addition to thetuck element; other elastic means such as springs or metal extensionsprings and the like in place of the centerline elastic fabric goring56; multiple non-centerline elastic fabric gorings in place of acenterline elastic fabric goring 56; having the elastic fabric goringextend from the toe toward the shoe instep; and the like.

As for materials and sources, leather may be from Prime Tanning, Inc.,of Berwick, Me. Synthetic leather and similar sheet materials may befrom Starensier, Inc., of Newburyport, Mass. Spandex, elastic fabric,flexibly inelastic fabrics, and goring may be from the Geo. C. Moore Co.Inc., of Westerly, R.I. Polypropylene extrusions may be from BixbyInternational, Inc., of Newburyport, Mass., or Spartech Plastic,Portage, Wis. Eyelets and washers may be supplied by Trendware/GoldbergFootwear Components, Inc., of Salem, Mass. Polyurethane cellular sheetmaterials such as Poron® may be from Rogers Corp., Rogers, Conn. Dacronfishing line may be from Woodstock Line Co., Putnam, Conn.

1. An automatically girthwise adjustable shoe having an upper, a lining,and bottom elements, a foot support surface, and an elastic meansconnected on each side of the shoe upper and providing automaticadjustment of the effective girth of the shoe to allow a comfortablycontacting fit to the foot of the wearer throughout a day.
 2. The shoeof claim 1 wherein the elastic means is connected to fabric interliningpanels.
 3. The shoe construction of claim 1, wherein the interliningpanels cause contact of the shoe lining to the lower sides of the footof a wearer.
 4. The shoe construction of claim 1, wherein the foot istransversely centered in the shoe at all girth adjustments thereof. 5.The shoe construction of claim 1, wherein the girth ratio at the ball,waist and instep portions of the shoe automatically adjust to those ofthe foot of the wearer.
 6. The shoe construction of claim 1, wherein theelastic means is located along the shoe centerline from the heel of theshoe to about the instep.
 7. The shoe construction of claim 6, whereinthe elastic means is connected to a saddle panel at the waist and instepon each side of the shoe.
 8. The shoe construction of claim 1, whereinthe elastic means is located along the shoe centerline.
 9. The shoeconstruction of claim 8, wherein the elastic means is located from theheel of the shoe to about the instep.
 10. The shoe construction of claim8, wherein the elastic means is located from the toe of the shoe toabout the instep.
 11. A shoe construction having a midportionaltransverse elastic fabric element which extends within a shoe from (i)about a topline at the waist area of a first side of the shoe, (ii)under a foot support surface having a width equal to or less than thenarrowest foot for which the shoe is intended, and (iii) ending at abouta topline at the waist area on a second side of the shoe, which elasticfabric element automatically adjusts the effective girth of a shoe toprovide continuous automatic adjustment of the effective girth of theshoe along the lower side edges of a foot to comfortably fit the foot ofa wearer throughout a day.
 12. The shoe construction of claim 11,wherein the midportional transverse elastic fabric element is furtherattached to the shoe along the length of the center of the shoe.
 13. Theshoe construction of claim 11, wherein the midportional transverseelastic fabric element is comprised of 2 or more narrower fabricelements which are not lengthwise connected to each other.
 14. The showconstruction of claim 11, wherein the midportional transverse elasticfabric element is extendable by at least 2 inches.
 15. A shoeconstruction having an upper, a stretch lining, interlining bottomelements, and an elastic fabric element attached to the upper of theshoe which provides automatic adjustment of the effective girth of theshoe to allow the shoe lining to provide a comfortably contacting fit ofthe shoe to the upper and lower side edges of the foot of the wearer.16. The shoe construction of claim 15, wherein the foot is heldrelatively transversely centered in the shoe at all girth adjustmentsthereof.
 17. The shoe construction of claim 15, wherein the effectivegirth ratio of the ball, waist, and instep portion of the shoeautomatically adjust to those of the foot of the wearer.
 18. The shoeconstruction of claim 15, wherein the effective girth adjustments of theshoe is limited in the extent thereof.
 19. The shoe construction ofclaim 15, wherein the elastic means provide about 1 to 4 pounds oftension to each side of the midportion of the shoe.
 20. The shoeconstruction of claim 15 wherein the elastic means extend longitudinallyalong the loose insole of the shoe.